ESTC35H3 Env. Sciences and Technology in Society 代写
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ESTC35H3 Env. Sciences and Technology in Society
Spring 2016
Instructor: Dr. Nicole Klenk
Assignment 1: Rhetorical Analysis
Worth 20% of overall mark
Due in class, Monday, February 1, 2016
Length: 8 pages (double spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins)
Learning objectives
In this assignment you will demonstrate your ability to notice, explain and assess
rhetorical features of a text, which will help you build your critical reading and thinking
skills.
General directive
In this assignment, you are required to read, understand and conduct a rhetorical analysis
of The Dark Mountain Project Manifesto (on Blackboard). A rhetorical analysis examines
how and why an author chose to write a text the way he/she has. A rhetorical analysis
explains the target audience of and the potential motivations for writing the text, and
describes the persuasive qualities of the structure of a text and its compositional
techniques and figures of speech. In your rhetorical analysis you should critically assess
the means by which the author has tried to influence or persuade readers.
Steps
1.To begin your rhetorical analysis, construct a table of rhetorical features you will
analyze and divide the table into two columns to help you distinguish between what the
author wrote and why he/she wrote it in this way. For example, you may consider all or
some of the questions in the worksheet below.
2. Develop your own thesis statement for your rhetorical analysis.
3. In your essay organize the rhetorical features you observed in a logical way. For
example, you could start by identifying the author’s main thesis, his/her purpose in
writing this piece and his/her intended audience. Next, you could explain the rhetorical
features of the text, the reason for their use and the extent to which they are effective
writing strategies. Make sure not to simply summarize the rhetorical strategies the author
uses often, but assess the extent to which they are compelling and effective.
4. Each paragraph should contain a strong topic sentence declaring the purpose of the
rhetorical strategy you will discuss. The order of the paragraphs should be logical and
support your thesis statement.
A rhetorical analysis is not a summary. In a rhetorical analysis you have to analyze and
assess not only what an author wrote, but why he/she wrote it in a certain way.
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Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet
What the author wrote Why the author wrote this, and wrote it in this way.
What is the author’s main thesis?
Why did the author choose this thesis to study?
What is the author’s purpose? To inform, criticize,
persuade? Some other purpose?
What seems to have prompted the writer to present this argument?
Who is the author’s target audience? What academic
discipline are they likely to come from?
Why did the author choose to write for this particular audience?
What is the author’s background? What, if any, is the
writer's history of work on this topic?
How does the author build his credibility with the target audience?
In what ways does the author appeal to authority, emotion or logic?
Does the author connect with the reader and if so, does this level of
connection help the essay? Why?
Does the author consider opposing points of views?
How does he present them?
What purpose does the presentation of opposing views serve?
What is the author’s mode of writing? Description,
definition, dialogue, cause/effect, compare/contrast,
formal/informal?
Why did the author use this mode of writing? What features of the
text make it a more persuasive argument? What parts are most
appealing? Why?
Rhetorical devices Does the author use rhetorical devices such as metaphor, simile,
symbolism, humour, irony, parody? Why?
(Adapted from:
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/co301aman/pop7b13.cfm;http://tutorial.ncsu.edu/sites/tutorial.ncsu.edu/files/RhetoricalAn
alysis.pdf; http://www.english.lsu.edu/English_UWriting/English1001Teachers/Assignments/item34042.html )
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ESTC35H3 Env. Sciences and Technology in Society
Spring 2016
Instructor: Dr. Nicole Klenk
Assignment 2: Media analysis
Worth 20% of overall mark
Due in class, Monday, February 29 2016
Length: 8 pages (double spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins)
In this assignment I would like you to write a research report on media coverage on one
of the following issues: geoengineering, genetic engineering or nuclear energy.
This assignment is meant to teach you skills in critical thinking, knowledge integration,
research and writing.
Search of National media
- Using available library resources, create a list of search terms with appropriate Boolean
operators.
- Refine your search until you have found approximately 30-40 articles.
- Select the 10-15 most relevant articles and make note of your selection criteria are.
Report structure:
Introduction: describe what is the issue.
Methods: describe how you searched for relevant media coverage on the issue.
Results: report what emerging themes and trends did you find within the media coverage.
Discussion: discuss how the media is framing the issue, why does it matter, who does it
matter to, what solutions have been proposed, whose voice is being transmitted?
Conclusion: summarize whether the issue is pressing in Canada (e.g., where its impacts
are being felt), who might be affected by this issue, what are their perspectives as viewed
through the lens of media and how the media might be affecting what solutions are
deemed appropriate or not.
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ESTC35H3 Env. Sciences and Technology in Society
Spring 2016
Instructor: Dr. Nicole Klenk
Assignment 3: Essay
Worth 20% of overall mark
Due in class, Monday, April 4 2016
Length: 8 pages (double spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins)
In this assignment you must write an essay comparing the ‘Dark Mountain Project Manifesto’
(on which you wrote a rhetorical analysis) to the ‘An Ecomodernist Manifesto’ (On blackboard).
You must compare and contrast these two manifestos in terms of content and rhetorical force and
you must also present your own perspective on the utility and limitations of environmental
sciences and technology in solving environmental issues. Please integrate ideas that we have
discussed in class in your essay.
